Chelsea fans are in for a serious grieving period when John Terry hangs up his boots, but having a suitable replacement on hand will go a long way toward numbing the pain of losing a club legend. Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane is likely to be near the top of Jose Mourinho's shopping list of preferred successors, and reports suggest the Champions League holders are willing to listen to offers in the vicinity of £19million for the out-of-favour centre-half. That kind of money is unlikely to deter Mourinho, who was in-charge at the Bernabeu when Varane sealed his £8million dream move in 2011 and considers the 21-year-old an elite in his position.
He said: "I think he is the best young central defender in the world. Already I think he's the best."
Brimming with maturity beyond his years, Varane would bring an imposing yet elegant presence to heart of the Blues defence. Tall, quick across the ground and a skilful reader of the game, he is the ideal modern centre-half. With that said, Carlo Ancelotti still favours the pairing of Sergio Ramos and Pepe in the centre of his back four. With his minutes on pitch fast drying up, Varane would thrive on the prospect of a first-team role in west London. However, the question stands whether Real would really ship out one of the most promising players of his generation. Probability: 6.5/10
Luke is a Bachelor of Journalism (Sport) student at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. A passionate fan of football competitions across the world, he also contributes to other outlets including The Sportster, GiveMeSport and ChelseaDaft.
